Friday, March 27, 2015

Hannah
slowed Pegasus to a walk as they entered the gate of the ranch's old
training track at the far end of the paddock. Once inside the ring,
Pegasus pawed the dirt eagerly, flicked his ears forward looking down
the long stretch toward the first turn.

“Think
you’ve seen somethin’ like this before, fella? I just bet you have.”
She leaned forward to smooth his arched neck, tightened her grip on the
rope and wound her fingers more firmly into his mane. “Okay boy. Let’s
see what you remember.” Hannah crouched low on the horse, speaking
softly as he pawed and pranced impatiently. Then suddenly she dug her
heels sharply into his sides. “Go,” she yelled. “Go boy, go.” Her heels
pummeled him and she slapped the rope against his neck.

Pegasus responded instantly, lunging beneath her into a full gallop, he bolted down the track.

Thundering
toward the first turn, he hugged the rail, his powerful stride
lengthening as he rocketed on toward the backstretch. Hannah held on,
hair streaming in the wind , her chanting words, “Go, boy go,” drown out
by his pounding hooves. She clung to his neck , girl and horse melded
into one as they streaked around the course.

She
caught a blurred glimpse of two figures standing by the rail as she
flashed past. And when at last Pegasus slowed and she was finally able
to pull him up, she saw Win vault over the fence. He reached her just in
time to catch her as she slid to the ground.

“My
God, Hannah, you could have been killed. What the hell did you think
you were doing? It’s a wonder you weren’t thrown and trampled. And
Pegasus, you could have lamed him,” Win seethed.

As a novelist, I draw on many real life experiences toprovide
background for my books. After completing studies in Literature and
History at Occidental College, I became a staff writer on a travel
magazine, and throughout my career I have traveled extensively all over
the world. Because
I love horses, I owned and trained them. I support horse rescue and
wild mustang preservation. Based on my experience with horses and my
research on abuse issues, I wrote Pegasus.

As
a descendant of James Monroe, I did extensive research at the James
Monroe Museum in Virginia about him and his wife Elizabeth Kortright
Monroe. I also visited their home, Ashlawn/Highland in Albemarle County.
This resulted in my novel, The Beautiful American. Making Wishes, was based partly on my experiences as creator, owner and operator of a greeting card company.

Elloree
Prince is an attractive, creative young woman who marries a wealthy
businessman, Tom Randall. After courting his bride with unrelenting
determination, Tom moves her into old-moneyed Oak View, where
generations of Randalls have lived for years. Outwardly, Elloree appears
to settle into raising their two sons within Oak View's stifling social
structure, but inwardly, she yearns for her artistic work.

An
unexpected phone call from Mark Williams, her former employer, offers
her the career opportunity of a lifetime, and she must make a choice.
She is torn between her devotion to her sons and her love for her work.
Her decision to return to Wishes, Inc. brings dramatic life changes to
her and the people she loves.

"Abby
Long is thrilled when she offers the winning bid for an antique desk at
an auction. With its intricately inlaid woods and elegant style, the
desk is perfect for Abby; it is the gift she promised herself to finally
celebrate her thriving antique business. She has no idea that the
antique desk holds a secret that will lead her on a fascinating,
life-changing journey back in time.

When
Abby discovers a hidden diary stuffed inside a secret compartment in
the desk, she can hardly wait to read the spidery, faded script. As she
carefully turns the tattered pages, she reads the captivating story of
two remarkable women from opposite backgrounds who somehow manage to
form an unforgettable bond against the backdrop of a fledgling America
struggling to find its place in the world. Elizabeth Kortright Monroe,
the wife of James Monroe, and Jasmine, a young slave girl, develop an
extraordinary relationship as they are united by pivotal historic
events, political intrigues, and personal tragedies.

From
a bucolic Virginia plantation to the bloodied, starving streets of
post-revolutionary Paris, this powerful tale follows the lives of two
courageous women from the past as they quietly influence—and inspire—a
woman of today’s world."

Widowed
at thirty, Hannah Bradley is a successful journalist focusing on animal
abuse issues. An accidental meeting introduces her to lawyer, Winston
Caughfield III. Drawn to Hannah’s gentle beauty and fierce commitment to
her work, Win joins her in a fight to save wild mustangs from
slaughter. Together they rescue a badly injured horse with a mysterious
background. Hannah’s search to discover the animal’s true identity leads
them into a web of black marketeering and international intrigue.

Action
packed with crisp colorful dialogue the story propels the reader to a
race against time conclusion. Marilyn Holdsworth delivers a gripping
tale of mystery, adventure and romance guaranteed to hold the interest
and capture the heart. She brings true-life characters together with
real-life issues to create a fast-paced irresistible story.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

First,
I must print this disclaimer. I’m not a marketing individual. And I,
James, the second book of The Eternity Series which will be released in
September 2014, is only the second book that I’ve tried to market.
So, everything has been trial and error. But, I will borrow heavily
from badredheadmedia.com’s Rachel Thompson, and several others, and the
lessons they have taught me.

You need an Online Presence. Gmail+, FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest….
They all have their uses. Personally, I’m on FaceBook, and Twitter.

Facebook has my personal page, where my family and friends reside,
and then a Corporate page which is where I try to publicize The Eternity
Series. And other projects that I have. BcBaldEagles.com also comes to
mind. It’s also a separate corporate page. And the three pages share
posts from each other.

Twitter is my second social media channel. @MHartnerAuthor is my
identity, since Rachel once said, it’s better to publicize yourself as
an author than to publicize individual books, and keep changing the
identity. Son’t confuse people. Publicize yourself as an author.

Pluggio and hootsuite are great tools. Pluggio allows you to ‘drip’
every few hours news topics of your interest. Hootsuite allows you to
post on more than one site from a consolidated dashboard. Both are
useful.

Don’t expect everyone who follows you to remain. But help them by
not including expletives in every second post, or every third word.
Show them that you can enjoy life as much as it can frustrate you.

Social Networks allow you to reach out to a lot of other people.
AS much as you want others to follow you, follow them. Find others
with your interest. Other authors, other Nutella aficionados, other
quilters, whatever… By following a wide range of others, a wide range of
them will follow you.

BLOG, or get blog tours. Blog
tours are GREAT exposure for your book. They usually have a wide and
diverse cross section of reviewers, who are all interested, to some
extent, in your writing.

HELP OTHERS. If you can help
others with your lessons, do. If you can Share other’s posts,
announcements, etc… chances are they’ll share yours. And your messages
will get out to people you never expected.

90/10 Rule.
At least 90 percent of your posts and blogs should be focused on
things OTHER THAN selling your book. Great reviews are one thing you
can announce more often. Share Reviews of books you’ve read. Even
better if they’re current books (last five years). Even Better if
you’re following the author when you post the review.

ENGAGE
your audience. Snippets, comments, and reviews of everyone’s work are
great things to post. Top Ten lists about your life, about your
hobbies… all of these build audience.

And while you’re building audience, but not screaming BUY MY BOOK, chances are some people will buy it.

And that’s what makes social media so great. Being Social.

James Crofter was ripped from his family at age 11. Within a year the prince was a pauper in a foreign land. Is nature stronger than nurture? And even if it is, can James find the happiness he so richly desires?

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

“I’m
telling you, she won’t last a week! A more…prudish, repressed woman I
have yet to meet! I doubt she’s done anything just for fun in her life!”

“Doesn’t mean she won’t go the full six months,” Leah replied mildly.

“Oh, please! She wears her hair in a bun! A bun!
And if her face has seen makeup in the last ten years, I’ll eat my
socks! She’ll get scared at the first loud noise and skitter home to
safety.” He shook his head. “This is a non-story. Trust me.”

“Well,
I think you should still take the trip. You can write this blog you’re
currently working on if you want to–but you’ll probably be wrong.” She
frowned thoughtfully. “You know…I wonder if she’d be interested in
writing a guest blog.”

Zeke stopped in his tracks. “What?”

“Sure,”
Leah said, gaining enthusiasm. “That’s not a bad plan B. She could
write updates of her journey–I mean, my subscribers are absolutely rabid
about this–and absolutely passionate about you going with her if the
poll results and the comments are anything to go by. Half want you to
expose her as pathetic; the other half want you to be surprised and
humbled and knocked off your high horse.”

“Hey!”

“Some
love you; some love to hate you–but they all want you to document this
woman’s adventure–no matter how long it lasts, or what you learn.”

“Well, it’s a non-story–I’m telling you. She probably won’t even make it out of town. I doubt she’s ever been anywhere!”

“That’s…actually kinda sad.”

Zeke shrugged. “Yeah, well–those were the choices she made.”

Leah frowned at him. “You don’t know what she’s faced in her life. You shouldn’t be so judgmental.”

“You
know, if I didn’t know that sometimes you can actually be a really
nice, understanding guy, I’d think you were the biggest jerk that ever
walked the planet.”

He shrugged again. “People don’t want to read the blog of a nice guy.”

“But they would love to see you taken down a peg or two.”

“Oh, like any tightly wound old lady could do that!” he scoffed.

Leah
gave him a reproving look as she stood and walked over to him, a hand
cupped around her ear. “Do you hear that? That’s the sound of fate
taking aim right–” she poked him hard in the middle of the forehead–“there.”

For
the last fifteen years, Rose “Manny” Mankowski has been a very good
girl. She turned her back on her youthful fancies and focused on her
career. But now, at the age of 45, she’s questioning her choices and
feeling more and more disconnected from her own life. When she’s passed
over for promotion and her much younger new boss implies Manny’s life
will never change, something snaps. In the blink of an eye, she’s quit
her job, sold her house and cashed in her pension, and she’s leaving
town on a six month road trip.

After
placing a personal ad for a travelling companion, she’s joined in her
mid-life crisis by Zeke Powell, the cynical, satirical, most-read – and
most controversial – blogger for the e-magazine, What Women Want. Zeke’s
true goal is to expose Manny’s journey as a pitiful and desperate
attempt to reclaim her lost youth – and increase his readership at the
same time. Leaving it all behind for six months is just an added bonus.

Now,
armed with a bagful of destinations, a fistful of maps, and an
out-spoken imaginary friend named Harvey, Manny’s on a quest to
rediscover herself – and taking Zeke along for the ride.

“Until
such time as we achieve heaven on earth, we must enjoy our freedoms
responsibly. Our speech should not be harmful. Our religious practice
should welcome those of all faiths (and those without religious faith).
Our media should present unbiased truth and facts, rather than
one-sided opinion. We must not abuse our freedoms, but rather enjoy
them from a perspective of gratitude and wisdom. In doing so, we allow
others to enjoy their right to freedom.

While
Americans and those of many other nations, especially other democracies,
already enjoy basic freedoms, many people around the globe are not
equally blessed. Through peaceful means, we must support our worldwide
brothers and sisters, as they work to achieve freedom from oppressive
governments. We can do this by encouraging the education of all
citizens. With knowledge comes power. And with power comes the
strength and ability to change. In a heaven on earth, every person will
enjoy freedom; and each person’s enjoyment of freedom will only serve
for the betterment of the whole, and never to the detraction of anyone
else.”

Editor
and author John E. Wade II has compiled a spiritual guide of invaluable
insight for finding peace and meaning in life while making the world a
better place for all. Along with co-authors Charlotte Livingston
Piotrowski, Daniel Agatino, Michael Nagler, and Martin Rutte, this
collection of enlightening essays and inspirational quotes from renowned
thinkers and leaders throughout history provides the intellectual tools needed to live a more harmonious life.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Reading
within your genre as well as within other genres will make you a better
writer. See what works for you as a reader and what doesn’t.
Incorporate the good traits and resolve to eliminate any bad habits you
observe.

2) Study writing blogs, books, and sites.

You might feel like you’re an expert once you’ve gotten your book published, but there’s always more that you can learn. Writer’s Digest,
other authors’ websites, genre-specific magazines, and writing
newsletters can help you understand what mistakes other authors are
making and how to avoid those mistakes. For instance, one writing ezine
often discusses disreputable publishers and agents, warning other
writers to say away.

3) Watch TV and movies.

Yep,
you read that right. Watching television and movies helps you to
understand what’s popular and can help you to see issues in ways you
might never have considered. Let’s say you watch a detective program. It
could give you insight into why your villain behaves as she does.
Granted, your villain might not be a murderer, but her long history of
abuse could explain her actions.

4) Subscribe to agents’ and editors’ blogs.

They
know the industry like no one else. If you want to know what’s going on
in the publishing world, this is an excellent place to start.

In
order to properly proofread your own work, you might have to read the
story backward or in some other order to truly see the words. When we’re
proofing our stories, we tend to see what we believe is there. If our
intention was to write, “We took the dog to the groomer,” then we’ll see
that even if we’ve actually typed, “We too the dog to the groomer.” The
eye skims right over that missing k, and the mistake isn’t highlighted as such by my word processing software.

7) Learn to self-edit.

Self-editing
differs somewhat from proofreading because it is more involved than
correcting typos. Self-editing includes fixing flaws. Did your character
say something that doesn’t ring true? Have you used the word jump ten
times on the same page? Does your character behave in a way that isn’t
faithful to her personality for no apparent reason? Once you’ve had your
work edited by a professional, you’ll be more aware of what to look
for. In the meantime, do a search for some helpful articles.

8) Listen to how people actually speak.

To
do dialogue well, you need to truly listen to people talking. This is
another good thing about watching movies. The first time I picked up an
Elmore Leonard novel, I thought, “Huh? This guy doesn’t follow the
rules.” But his dialogue rings so true! He uses dialogue to create
characters that are realistic.

9) Experiment.

Write
outside your comfort zone. If you don’t write poetry, try a poem to see
what you can come up with. I took a creative writing class where
students had to read a short story in a particular genre and then write a
story in that genre. We had to write western, science fiction, romance,
horror, mystery, and even how-to instructions. Stretch your limits—you
might be surprised at what you can do.

10) Write.

All the study in the world won’t make you a better writer if you don’t simply put your butt in the chair and write.

Embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer is about to have the rug pulled out from under her….Marcy can’t wait to see the new
exhibit at the Tallulah Falls museum on antique tapestries and textiles,
including beautiful kilim rugs. But her enthusiasm quickly turns to
terror when, the day after the exhibition opens, she discovers a dead
body behind her store, the Seven-Year Stitch, wrapped up in a most
unusual fashion.The victim appears to be a visiting
art professor in town for the exhibit. Did someone decide to teach the
professor a lesson, then attempt to sweep the evidence under the rug?
Along with her boyfriend, Detective Ted Nash, Marcy must unravel an
intricate tapestry of deception to find a desperate killer.

Sipping coffee once again
With long
dread loc's...
And new tattoo's...

Smoking with Bob Marley
As my words help heal the earth...
My music playing around the world

Performing in front of thousand's...
Sharing my art with the planet

And speaking in the language
of the dolphins...

"This
“new age” book of poetry reflects the diverse views and philosophies of
it’s author Ra Krishna EL. It’s an intimate, humorous and thought
provoking group of poems intended to evoke strong emotion. To quote the
German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, this style of poetry can be
called “Zukunfts poesie“ which translates into “Poetry of the future”,
where truly original ideas are presented thru poetry. Also known as post
Nietzschean poetry.

It’s subjects include society, pop
culture, love, religious dogma, God and the new age of Aquarius. This
book was written and published during the false incarceration of its
author in Chicago’s notorious Cook County Jail, the largest jail in the
country."

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Oh, how I envy people who know exactly what kind of book they like to read!

Because if you asked me what books I like, I’m not sure how I’d answer.

The
problem is, my “taste” changes from day to day—even hour to
hour—depending on all kinds of factors. The mood I’m in. What books I’ve
been discussing lately with my friends. How my day went, even!

Because
I’m a writer, I read some books out of curiosity. Although I enjoyed
science fiction when I was in high school, for example, I didn’t touch
it at all for many years. Now I’ve met some sci-fi fans and I’ve become
curious about the genre. I’m reading a sci-fi book now by the novelist
Sarah Hoyt, and I’ve picked up some classic sci-fi titles for my TBR
pile. I love how it’s expanded my reading world!

Another
type of book I enjoy is classic literature, but I have to be in just
the right frame of mind to tackle it. So often, classics are denser and
longer than genre or “poplit” books. I think of it like the difference
between stopping at taco stand and booking a reservation at a 5-star
restaurant. Both meals can be fun and satisfying, but one demands a bit
more of a commitment. The next classic I plan to read: Count of Monte
Cristo by Alexander Dumas.

Sometimes
all I want is to escape. You know that feeling? I want to read
something that just takes me away from day-to-day life—something that
gives me a rest from the hassles of paying the bills, getting over a
head cold, or whatever other little problems are bothering me at the
time. For this, the prescription is a fast-paced, plot-driven book. When
Elmore Leonard passed away, for example, I bought a couple of his
novels, and wow, I enjoyed them. Fun, fast-paced, and often
laugh-out-loud humorous. Perfect escapist books!

A
related feeling I have, sometimes, is the desire to become aware of the
reality of the non-physical or spiritual dimensions of life. I satisfy
this by reading non-fiction books on spiritual topics or first-person
accounts of spiritual experiences. I recently read a book by Mason
Winfield on supernatural phenomenon in Upstate New York, and I loved how
it made me slow down and think about the impressions the past leaves on
the present.

I find reading non-fiction to be very settling, so I gravitate toward books about history as a way to feel calm.

So how about you? Do you look for different kinds of books depending on your mood?

A woman's worst nightmare

Drugged by something...that makes her think she's fallen in love.

All Haley Dubose has ever known is beaches and malls, clubs and cocktail dresses.But now her father is dead.And if she wants to inherit her father's fortune, she has to leave sunny Southern Californiafor a backwater little town near Syracuse, New York. She has to run RMB, the multimillion dollarchemical company her father founded. And she has to run it well.Keep
RMB on track, and she'll be rich. Grow it, and she'll be even richer.
But mess it up, and her inheritance will shrink away before she gets a
chance to spend a dime.

Donavon Todde is her true love. But is it too late?

He's RMB's head of sales – and the more Donavon sees of Haley, the more he's smitten.Sure,
she comes across at first as naïve and superficial. But Donavon knew
Haley's father. He can see the man's better qualities stirring to life
in her eyes. And Donavon senses something else: Haley's father left her a
legacy more important than money. He left her the chance to discover
her true self.Donavon has demons of his own.He's
reeling from a heartbreak that's taking far too long to heal. But he's
captivated by this blond Californian, and not only because of her
beauty. It's chemistry. They're right for each other. But has
Donavon waited too long to woo this woman of his dreams? Because to his
horror, his beautiful Haley falls under another spell. Gerad's spell.

A web of evil.

Gerad
Picket was second-in-command at RMB when Haley's father was alive. And
with Haley on the scene, he's in charge of her training. But there are
things about RMB that Gerad doesn't want Haley to know.

And he must control her. Any way he can.

Romantic suspense for your Kindle

Will Haley realize that her feelings are not her TRUE feelings?Does Donavon have the strength left to fight for the woman he loves?Will the two of them uncover Gerad's plot to use RMB pheromones to enslave the world?And even if they do – can they stop it?